Jefferson scores 28 to help Nets rally past Bobcats

[April 16, 2008]  EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- Richard Jefferson scored 28 points and hit a go-ahead jumper as the New Jersey Nets rallied from a 20-point first-half deficit to beat the Charlotte Bobcats 112-108 in overtime Tuesday night.

Vince Carter added 18 points, Devin Harris had 17 and eight assists and the Nets limited the Bobcats to 47 points in the final 29 minutes after giving up 61 in the first half.

Jason Richardson had 31 points to lead Charlotte in the meaningless game between two non playoff teams. Nazr Mohammed added 19 points, Raymond Felton had 18 and Emeka Okafor had 15 rebounds.

Jefferson broke a 99-all tie with a jumper from the right wing and Carter followed with a 3-pointer after a Richardson miss for a 104-99 lead.

A basket by Mohammed and two free throws by Matt Carroll got the Bobcats within a point, but Harris hit a 3, Bostjan Nachbar made two free throws and Jefferson nailed a 3 to push the advantage to 112-105.

After building a 20-point first half lead, Charlotte had to rally from a 92-87 deficit with 2:09 to play to force the overtime.

Felton put in his own rebound and Jared Dudley made three free throws after being fouled on a 3-pointer to tie the game with 1:09 to go.

A fast-break layup by Jefferson gave New Jersey the lead, but Carroll scored in the lane with 19 seconds left to tie the contest at 94.

Jefferson's off balance shot in the waning seconds bounced off the rim.

The Bobcats scored 15 straight points in a 29-7 run that gave them a 33-18 lead after the first quarter. Charlotte increased its margin to 20 points in the second quarter and went to the locker room ahead 61-44.

Carter had 10 points in the third quarter to help close the deficit to nine and then the Nets used a 26-12 run in the first 10 minutes of the fourth quarter to take a 92-87 lead.

Notes: Jack Nies refereed his 2,000th game. ...The Nets finished 21-20 at the Izod Center, their seventh straight winning season at home. ...Nets F Josh Boone will sit out the final two games with a sprained right knee. ...Okafor and Richardson tied the Bobcats' franchise record playing in their 81st game. No Bobcat has played in all 82 games.

[Associated Press; By TOM CANAVAN]

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